Protest at Covid hospital

Around 50 residents of Pradhannagar in Siliguri held a
protest outside the Medica North Bengal Clinic on Friday, saying
treatment of suspected Covid-19 patients at the private nursing home in
the “densely populated area” would trigger chances of the infection
among local people.

On Thursday, Abhijit Chowdhury, the doctor
who had been sent here from Calcutta by the state government, had
announced that suspected or positive coronavirus patients would not be
treated at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.

The
suspected patients would be sent to Medica and their swab samples would
be taken to the NBMCH for tests. Anybody tested positive will be shifted
to Dr Chhang’s Super Specialty Hospital, which is on the outskirts of
Siliguri.

Chowdhury said those tested negative would be treated at the NBMCH and other facilities.

The decision to treat suspected Covid patients at Medica has triggered a protest by a section of residents of Pradhannagar.

“Pradhannagar
is a densely populated area and the nursing home is located in the
middle of residential complexes. We apprehend that if the suspected
Covid-19 patients are kept here, there is always a risk of infection,”
said Arijit Das, a local resident.

Bijoy Dhar, the secretary of
Pradhannagar Byabsayee Samiti, said the residents had already submitted a
memorandum to the Siliguri subdivisional officer on the issue.

“This
is a crowded area and we want the state government to identify some
other nursing home, like it found one for corona positive patients on
the outskirts of Siliguri (Dr Chhang’s hospital). This would reduce the
risk of infection,” said Dhar.

The protesters have pointed out
that around half of the employees at Medica are local residents. “If any
of them gets affected, the infection can spread further,” said a
resident.

A team of officials from the Darjeeling district health
department, along with Abhijit Chowdhury, visited Medica on Friday and
checked arrangements. Chowdhury said there was no need for the
residents to panic.

“I
have been sent by the state and I would inform the authorities
concerned about the protests. We want to make it clear that the
government will not impose any decision on people. Simultaneously, they
should cooperate with us as some of them have been reacting out of
panic,” said Chowdhury.

He said all Covid patients, including a child, being treated at Medica were in a stable condition.

https://www.telegraphindia.com

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Around 50 residents of Pradhannagar in Siliguri held a protest outside the Medica North Bengal Clinic on Friday, saying treatment of suspected Covid-19 patients at the private nursing home in the “densely populated area” would trigger chances of the infection among local people.